Method and apparatus for compressive shrinkage of tubular fabric

ABSTRACT

1. Process for continuously moistening, smoothing and compression shrinking textile tubular material (1), in which the latter is straightened out widthwise by means of a temple (5), the thus straightened out material (1) in the flat state is moistened and is then fed to a smoothing and shrinking unit, the material (1) to be shrunk being made to bear on the outside of a continuously rotating endless conveyor belt (7) formed by a shrink belt, being brought by means of the latter into engagement with the cylindrical outside of a support roller (8) transporting in the same direction, and being guided around the latter along part of the periphery thereof and bearing against it, and the same process then being repeated for the other side of the tubular material in the flat state in a second smoothing and shrinking unit, so that the side of the material to be treated which was previously in engagement with the conveyor belt (7) is now brought into engagement with the outside of the support roller (8&#39;) of the second smoothing and shrinking unit, with the material (1) to be shrunk, directly before being made to bear on the outside of the support roller (8, 8&#39;) of the first and/or second smoothing and shrinking unit, being delivered along a surface running in a curve around a deflection roller (10, 10&#39;) of the conveyor belt (7, 7&#39;) in opposition to the outside of the support roller (8, 8&#39;) and only being delivered in this thus curved region, bearing on the conveyor belt, from the deflection roller to the succeeding support roller (8, 8&#39;), and the conveyor belt (7, 7&#39;) comprising on its inner side directed towards its deflection rollers (10, 11, 12; 10&#39;, 11&#39;, 12&#39;) a base carrier material (20) which is virtually unexpandable in operation and on whose side directed outwards towards the material to be treated there is arranged a resilient layer (21).



